Swimming device



J. P. LA R'osA SWIMMING DEVI CE Filed May 21. 1926 Patented Apr. 26, 1927.

UNITED SATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN- P. LA ROSA, 01 PORT CHESTER, NEW YORK. y

SWIMMING DEVICE.

Application filed May 21,1926. Serial No. 110,756.

stroke of the leg of the swimmer and will offer little resistance to the passage of the foot through the water on the return stroke.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to he hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

Indescribing my invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherem like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a View showing the device in use upon the feet of a swimmer.

Figure 2 is an enlarged view showing one of the devices attached to the foot of a swimmer.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the device itself.

In these views, the device comprises a substantially triangular shaped block 1 which is suitably fastened to each foot of the swimmer such as by means of a shoe 2 and a pair of wings 3 which are connected with the block by the double hinge l. As shown, this hinge comprises a center plate 5 which is fastened to the small end of the block and the plates 6 and 7 which arefastened to the wings i). The plate 7 is provided with a rightangle extension 8 which will engage the other plate 6 when the wings swing baek w'ardly, and thus act to limit the rearward movement of the wings and enable them to be spread apart easily by the water on the propelling stroke of the leg of the swimmer. As shown in Figure 3, I use a pair of these hinges 4 but it will, of course, be understood that any desired numberof hinges may be used. Each wing 3 is of substantially wedge shape, with its frontface straight.

From the foregoing it will be seen that on the propelling stroke of each leg of the swimmer, the wings 3 will move to open posi tion and thus the device will offer a resistance to the passage of the foot through the water so that the swimmer will be propelled through the water with great force as he pushes upon the device. On the return stroke, the wings will fold backwardly .and thus the device will offer but little re sistance to the passage of the foot through the water. If desired, thedevice 1 can be attached to an oar or the like andused to propel a boat through the water.

/ It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of my invention will be readily apparent;

I desire it to be understood that I may make changes in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is a 1. A device of the class described comprising av support having its sides sloping inwardly from the front to the rear and wings hinged to, the rear of the support and having beveled inner ends for engaging the sides of the support, when the wings are extended, to hold the wings in extended position.

2. A device of the class described comprising a block of substantially triangular shape, means for fastening the base of the block to the foot of a swimmer, a pair of wings,

hinges connecting the wings to the small end of the block, each wing having a beveled inner end for engaging the inclined sides of the block and one of the hinge parts having a projection for engaging the other hinge part for limiting the rearward movement ot the wings. i

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOHN P. LA ROSA. 

